


Sins of Men

by cyndrarae



Series: Snapshots!verse [4]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Gen, Possibly Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-06-01
Packaged: 2018-01-27 21:26:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1723070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyndrarae/pseuds/cyndrarae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another snapshot from Scott's life. Sometime between X1 and X2. Scott's in a mood to confess. Written from the priest's POV.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sins of Men

**Author's Note:**

> I don't intend to hurt anyone's religious sentiments, this is just a hypothetical situation, purely for fun. To the best of my knowledge, Artie Maddicks is the kid with the snake tongue, as seen in X2.

 

  
**_GENESIS 50:17_ **

**“Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.”**

 

**

It’s been two days and two nights. An angry storm continues to rage around us, pelting the land with sleet and hail and heavy torrents of season-defying rain.

How did that song go again? The one about the preacher who likes the cold because he knows people will stay? Well, that’s precisely how I feel right now. Here at the church of Our Lady of Sorrows, we’ve surely had more footfalls in the last two days than we had in months. I thank the Lord for allowing me such a wondrous opportunity to save these people, and not just from the cold rain.

My elation is short-lived unfortunately, once I see _him_. The man who’s just walked in is tall and dark, carries himself with a stoical, dangerous confidence. He is dressed in a black leather duster clasped tightly at his slim waist, flowing downward where it practically sweeps the floor. Despite the dim candlelights of the chapel, I can see the sheen of raindrops on his auburn hair, and the blood red lenses fitted in a strange contraption around his eyes.

There is no doubt. He’s one of _them_.

I end my small talk with Mrs. Cameron politely, unclasp my hands and walk toward the outsider in our midst. I manage a tight smile, and in return, the man’s severe features melt into a wide all-knowing grin.

“Good evening, Father…”

I nod. “O’Malley. How can I help you today, son?”

I don’t ask him for his name, have no need for it. He smirks.

“I came to confess Father. It’s been awhile.”

Try as I might, I cannot see through the dark glasses that hide his eyes. Makes me wary, but then of course… their kind must always be treated with a suitable degree of wariness, and caution. I nod again, stiffly, and turn towards the confessional. I gesture with an open hand for him to follow, which he does.

Once we’re seated in our respective booths, I let loose a sigh of relief. The wooden panel couldn’t possibly be defense enough, I know. But the illusion of distance and protection (for now) will allow me to function long enough to get through this.

“Go ahead son.”

“Well, you see _Father_ … there is so much to confess. So many sins. I don’t know where to start.”

“My son, our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners…”

“…among whom I am foremost of all.”

I jump a little, did not take him for a reader of scriptures.

“Let’s start with what is on your mind, son. What brings you here tonight?”

He exhales loud enough for me to hear. “Gluttony.”

Pause. “Gluttony?”

“That’s one of the deadly sins right? I suppose since I’m confessin’ and all, might as well go for the long haul. Thought I’d start with the smaller ones first.”

My eyebrows rise of their own accord. Apparently, this was going to take sufficiently long all by itself.

“See I did a lot of coke when I was young. And other stuff too – hash and weed and smack, bit of meth here and there. I just couldn’t get enough of it you know? I was a bad boy, _Father_. A very _bad boy_.”

“Well, as long as you do not indulge in such depravities any more…”

“Well no, I don’t. Work’s tough. Can’t afford to be off my game by a millimeter now. Unless, I run into these old buddies of mine. You know how it goes right? A little smokin’ up never hurt nobody.”

New York City. Born and bred on the streets most likely. I recognize the accent, the disrespectful, ‘couldn’t care less’ manner of speaking. I wonder what he refers to as work, which pays for that expensive leather attire of his.

“It’s a sign of weakness to give into temptation, my son.”

“But it was for old times’ sake, Father. You know, me and my buddy Victor go way back, like nine years. We used to hustle together.”

“…”

Did he just say…?

“You know, streetwalkers? Rent boys? _Whores_?”

“…”

“In lower Manhattan. Brooklyn after that ‘cause we got so damn sick of the turf wars. Oops, sorry _Father_. Didn’t mean to curse.”

I exhale, draw out the little handset from my jacket and start punching.

“There is no shame in an honest day’s work, my son.”

He snorts. “And there’s no money either. Working the streets? Now that was easy money dude… sorry, _Father_.”

I could hear a sarcastic smirk in his tone. I have never spoken with him before, but I imagine that’s what it’d sound like, the way he says ‘Father’. I sigh and ask the Lord to grant me patience, knowing justice will be served very soon.

“Guess you’d call it Greed then?”

I don’t bother. Complete the text message and hit send.

“Still with me there?”

“I’m listening, carry on.”

“Awesome. Two down, four to go!”

“Five.”

“Oh! Right. I suck at religion. And math.” He snorts again. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me stuff like it’s alright and you forgive me?”

“You must seek forgiveness but not from me, son.”

“Yeah… you’re right. But see here’s the thing. I don’t think your God likes me too much.”

I’m tempted to roll my eyes, of course He doesn’t. You anomalies of nature. _You ignorant freaks_.

“God loves all his children equally. God does not discriminate.”

He is quiet for several moments. When he speaks, his tone has lost some of the earlier frivolity.

“Do you really mean that, Father?”

Of course I do. Except _your_ kind was not created by God. It was created by the _Devil_ himself.

“I do, my son.”

He takes a moment, then sighs deeply.

“I believe ya. You have a way with people, Father. You’re good. You’re _really_ good!”

“Thank you. Was there more you wanted to discuss?”

“Oh yeah, Hell yeah. Sorry _Father_. See this cursing thing, I really can’t seem to shake it. Any suggestions? But don’t ask me to like join any ‘Cursers Anonymous’ alright? I’m too lazy for shit like that. Sloth yeah?”

I pointedly ignore the absurd logic, suddenly not so sure the storm that forced this… _thing_ to take shelter in my church was such a good idea.

“If you work hard and sincerely, and you fulfill all responsibilities toward your loved ones and toward society, you are in the clear.”

“Loved ones.” His tone drops a bit. “But what if the loved ones don’t care anymore? What if, what if they wanna leave you for someone else?”

I get acknowledgement for my text message. Satisfied, I close the phone and conceal it once more.

“You must try and work things out, son. Find out what the problem is first.”

“Hell, I _know_ what the problem is. It’s this new guy. And my fiancé, she can’t seem to look away from him anymore.”

“Oh.”

“I’m so jealous man. The thought of them together, it’s tearing me apart inside.”

“Envy is the sin with the worst excuse, son. You must not let it distance you from God.”

“What can I do? I mean… what the hell’s wrong with me? I’m smart, I can be funny, sometimes. And don’t you think I’m hot, _Father_?”

I sputter.

“Sure I’m not like, rugged and _mucho macho_ like that two ton asshole… and I probably hit the shower way too often. But I got my own strengths. Pretty is sexy too, ain’t it _Father_?”

I swallow. Now that my deed is done, I wish he would leave already.

“Va-Vanity, is the original and most serious of all sins, my child. You must not…”

“I thought lust was the biggest?”

I sigh. “It is considered to be just as bad. Lust of the flesh is the source of all our sorrows and leads us into every impurity of life.”

He snorts again. “Don’t I know it. See my fiancé? She ain’t Miss Perfect after all. Ever since this guy came along, she’s freakin’ _coveting_ him like a bitch in heat. So she’s sinned too right?”

“Uhh… right?”

I sense him drawing closer to the partition between us; his voice low and conspiratorial and I find myself curious.

“But see the thing is, _Father_ … this lusting? For the new guy?” He breathes again. Deeply. “She ain’t the only one doing it.”

The silence lasted longer this time.

“I… don’t know what to say…”

He laughs, mocking me. “Oh come on, _Father_! If you don’t who does? Hell you’re supposed to have all the answers.”

He isn’t bothering to apologize about the cursing any more. I look at my watch; it’s been ten minutes. That ought to be enough.

“I’m sorry son, I must insist we continue this talk another time.”

“No no no, we’re just getting to the good part, Father.”

“…”

He knocks. “Now now, don’t ditch me Father O’Malley. See I heard about you, I came all the way just for _you_. I knew I’d find what I’ve been looking for here. In your church.”

“Wh-What’s that?”

His accent shifts when he speaks next. Sophisticated, mature, upstate New York. 

“The mole in the system, of course! The traitor to his own cause. The _sinner_ , in the disguise of a _saint_.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really? Let’s double-check that.”

I’m not prepared for it. The mutant punches through the partition, ripping it apart until we’re both in plain sight. I see Wrath in his face, and wonder if he sees fear in mine. I run out of the booth, planning to start screaming for help but to my shock and dismay, the church that’d housed about ten people minutes ago is now completely deserted.

My voice is struck dead within my throat as the abomination chases me down the chapel to the giant oak doors. His hands grab me before I can escape, turns me around and flings me hard against the southern wall. I tremble and start to pray. He scowls furiously.

“You really think praying will help a murderous fanatic like you?”

“This is outrageous! I… I am a man of c-cloth…”

“You have blood on your hands, you psycho bastard. People tell you they’re mutants in confidence, and you set the fucking Friends of Humanity after them!”

“P-please, don’t hurt me!”

“Remember Artie Maddicks? He’s just a little kid. And they almost skinned him alive, you sonofabitch!”

He is growling furiously, almost as loud as the thunderstorm outside. Lifts me up by the lapels to throw me hard against the wall once more. The back of my head collides and hurts painfully, think I see actual stars, and somehow I always thought that was just a silly idiom.

“This is for Artie’s mom, who died trying to protect her son.”

He slams me against the wall again. This time I feel the blood start to trickle into my collar.

“This is for all the other mutants who were tortured and killed because of you. Because they _trusted_ you!!”

He nearly strangles me, and I can’t breathe. My mouth falls open, and eyes start to roll up in my head.

“Scott… Scott stop. Cyclops!”

I am suddenly let go, dropping to the floor like a ragdoll and I can’t stop coughing and gasping. There is a tall white-haired woman holding on to the mutant’s arm, keeping him away from me, for now.

“He’s not worth it, Scott! The authorities are coming for him. His parish also knows by now. No one will trust him again, ever. It’s over Scott, forget him. We have a job to finish… come on…”

Job to finish? I figure it out at last… I called the FOH just as he’d somehow known I would. They must be waiting for the man in the black duster and red glasses right outside the abbey, unaware that it’s a trap. I am still coughing, tears of loathing sting my eyes when I realize the man is standing right over me.

“Thanks for all your help, _Father_. Couldn’t have done without you.”

That atrocious smirk again. I pray to God they get him, hope his death is as painful and merciless as our Lord Christ himself. But I have a feeling the Lord is not on my side this time.

“Freaks…”

It’s just a hiss, but it carries, enough to make the two departing figures halt at the door and turn back toward me.

“Damned devil’s abominations, both of you…”

The man’s face is terrifyingly blank, but the woman… the woman smiles. Her voice, low and dangerous, sends cold shivers up my spine.

“Bless _you_ , Father. For you have sinned.”

**

**_Jeremiah 15:15_ **  
**  
"O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy long suffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke"**

 

**** END **  
**

A/N: So, do let me know what you think? **  
**


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